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Missing the Trump Team’s Misconduct

Between flailing over Russia-gate and obsessing over a “tell-all” book, the major U.S. news media continues to miss the more substantive misconduct of the Trump administration, says JP Sottile.

By JP Sottile

On Monday, I flipped over to MSNBC and what were they “covering”? Trump’s “stable genius” tweet. And no, they were not “advancing the story” … that is, if there is a way to advance a stale story based on a two-day-old tweet. Instead, they just had a couple talking heads blathering on in pointless speculation about Trump’s state of mind. In other words, they were filling dead air with hot air.

President Donald Trump addresses the nation about his Iran policy on Oct. 13, 2017. (Screenshot from Whitehouse.gov)

Surprisingly, there is a takeaway from this episode and from the countless hours of Trumped-Up, blatherati-driven coverage churned out by MSNBC, CNN and the three networks … and it’s this: If the so-called “Liberal Media” really is out to “get” Trump … they really suck at it.

Why? Because if I was a managing editor at MSNBC (or CNN or the “Today Show” or “Good Morning America,” for that matter) and I was “out to get” Trump … I’d have spent a good three blocks of airtime on former Eli Lilly bigwig Alex Azar. He’s Trump’s replacement for the sleazy, insider trading Dr. Tom Price at the Department of Health and Human Services. Hell, POLITICO even did most of the work when it published a big story detailing the way Eli Lilly gamed the patent system to sustain Cialis as a rock-hard profit producer when Azar was a Lilly exec. They used a pediatric study loophole the makers of OxyContin had once used to squeeze another six months of profits out of their drug.

Why not hone-in on THAT story? It’s Eli Lilly, for chrissake! They are right there with Monsanto as a name that inspires groans and occasional vomiting (along with a voluminous list of quite real side effects). Even better, Azar is another in a long list of crony-baloney capitalists who’ve turned the Trump Administration into one of the most corrupt cash machines I’ve ever seen. But what is MSNBC talking about? A senescent tweet.

But no … they are poring over the cheap and easy regurgitation of kooky tweets. They are wringing every last drop out of Michael Wolff’s book. And they are forever circling around meaningless details about Russiagate that not only DO NOT advance the story, but ultimately make it look like they are ginning-up stories when, in fact, they actually don’t know what Mueller knows … even as they piss away precious hours of airtime speculating about “what’s coming next.”

Fine, I get it. If you get a leaked detail, you report it and talk about it for a few hours … but then you MOVE ON to Trump’s growing ownership of an ever-bloodier War on Terror or to food safety or environmental collapse or to growing consumer debt or to Trump’s retinue of corporate shills like Alex Azar. You look at the policies that are being made each and every day and the quite real consequences that will come of these often-major shifts.

The upshot is that you’d not only be doing real damage to Trump’s presidency … but you’d also be doing ACTUAL JOURNALISM! You can “get” Trump and do your job, too! It’s a two-fer! Everything else is just an easy way to maintain the profitability you could only dream of before that 24/7 star of your predictable little daytime drama came down that godforsaken escalator in his monomaniacal search for the one thing you give him in spades — airtime.

JP Sottile is a freelance journalist, radio co-host, documentary filmmaker and former broadcast news producer in Washington, D.C. He blogs at Newsvandal.com or you can follow him on Twitter, http://twitter/newsvandal.

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101 comments for “Missing the Trump Team’s Misconduct”

I find it beyond tragic that Mr. Parry suffered his recent health ailments. Mr. Parry was always a godsend, illuminating areas that were otherwise concealed or filled with obfuscation.

I can’t count the times over the last few years that I’d eagerly anticipate his well written and always insightful pieces on the most recent hot topic of the day. Mr. Parry would never disappoint, consistently doling out facts and analyses that were unequaled.

I’ve noticed over the last few days that CN just isn’t the same since he fell ill. What’s awful is that it was basically the establishment Russophobia that got to him. Here we have a valiant professional journalist doing his due diligence only to succumb to a stroke likely because of all the stress in unearthing the skulduggery behind Russiagate and the most responsible people in the room totally ignoring or pathetically attempting to disparage his astonishingly valuable work.

If this portends a vastly diminished role for Mr. Parry, it’s saddening beyond belief.

Here’s a tip of the cap to Mr. Parry, a once in a generation journalist-intellectual-commentator who always fought the truthful fight regardless of where it led him.

Realist

January 9, 2018 at 8:30 pm

Sadly, I must agree. I do hope the medicos are helping him recover his sight. It must be traumatic for him.

exiled off mainstreet

January 10, 2018 at 2:44 am

I agree that Mr. Parry is sorely missed and hope he manages to recover.

John Barth jr.

January 10, 2018 at 7:06 pm

Yes, I reflect on this several times a day, hoping that Robert Parry recovers enough to resume his unparalleled work. I have emailed him via this site and received a letter two days ago, advising that reading email is still too difficult. He certainly has the capacity to recover abilities if the potential is there, as I hope. Otherwise I hope that he can find an assistant or protege to take over some activitiy while he serves as the eminence gris and director.

LJ

January 10, 2018 at 10:29 pm

Agreed . Sometimes the articles weren’t as great as others but this article is not a good sign. I hope Mr. Parry has not suffered a turn for the worse and maybe at a future date he can assume his previous role here but we all have to be clear on this , his health comes first. God bless us all , I will keep my fingers crossed.

MSNBC can’t carry water for the sellout Establishment Democrats if they discuss BigPharma, Big Oil, the function of regulatory agencies, the bogus “War on Terror”, or the need for a diverse media. Then they’d have to get real and criticize the whole damn sordid Dumb Show. If they wanted to take sides, they’d have to side with the “people” for a change–instead of the moribund Democrats.

Drew Hunkins

January 9, 2018 at 7:10 pm

Rachelle Maddow’s too busy breathlessly reporting the latest non-story of Russian this or that or this or that.

Bart Hansen

January 9, 2018 at 6:40 pm

Ah, cable news. Ted Turner has a lot to answer for.

Lisa

January 9, 2018 at 6:42 pm

Looking at the long list of issues that MSM is not using in order to attack Trump, it occurred to me that these are the same issues that the other candidate for president would also have supported, to a great part. That’s why it is easier and more convincing (for the uninformed public) to talk about the other nonsense, tweets, gossip and unproven assessments.

Actually, I am very confused about the contradicting claims about Trump. The new gossip book claims that he did NOT want to become president at all. The favourite Russia-narrative keeps claiming that he / his campaign colluded with Russia / Putin in order to be helped to the presidency. Can’t they make up their minds on which crime he should be indicted for? (Although not wanting to be president is not a crime.)

Once again, a warm greeting to Robert Parry and intensive wishes for good recovery. I’v tried to check other alternative news channels in the meantime, but Parry is clearly above them, in argumentation, thorough researching, integrity.

john wilson

January 10, 2018 at 5:58 am

If Trump didn’t want to become president,Lisa, then one has to wonder why he went through all the exhausting work to get the job. Makes no sense to me.

Lisa

January 10, 2018 at 3:33 pm

John, I’ve only read some book reviews on Wolff’s gossip and hearsay collection and the summary, published on Zerohedge. I’m not even considering to read the book itself. Someone (can’t recall who) claimed that he only wanted to make a name for himself for business purposes, that he didn’t expect or wish to win. Seems like nonsense to me also. There is another Trump quote (hearsay again) from the time before the election, referring to the money he used for the campaign: “If I don’t win the election, this is the worst investment I’ve ever done in my life.”

So everyone can pick the quote he likes and use it prove their point, whatever it is.

Horrus

January 10, 2018 at 3:34 pm

He didn’t do any exhausting work to get the job.

All he did was fly around in his private jet show up to a succession of rallies ( a handful weekly) where he was able to indulge himself in his fantasies of being loved by people. It is not at all difficult to believe he had no intention of winning. In fact, for a while after the election you could tell he was mad at Clinton for losing. I’m sure Melania was/is. What’s hard to believe is that Clinton’s billion dollar “inevitable” campaign was beaten by such a group of two bit amateur morons. The Clinton campaign’s failure exposed just how rotten and corrupt the corporate Democrats have become and how utterly incompetent they are.

Joe Tedesky

January 10, 2018 at 5:30 pm

Horrus, what you are describing is a presidential campaign which in today’s world had been run on the cheap. I’m in the process of reading Michael Wolff’s book ‘Fire & Fury’, and although the gossipy book is filled with many entertaining stories that go on inside the White House, we should at least sit back and realize that we are but reading the opinion of one person. I mean, after all isn’t any book an opinion of a single author’s thoughts anyway, and should we not be suspect to what we read, always?

So anyways, whether you believe Trump ran with the idea of losing, and by doing so he was banking on how the campaign exposure would enable him to go launch a new conservative TV network, is matter of the readers acceptance of this tale. On the other hand, possibly Trump is more of a realist than we thought, and he was always doubting his chances, because if you think the worst the best will happen. This would have been the mindset Trump leaned upon for his own mental sanity. This mindset would also help unburden his worried stress levels that he may have found himself having. Plus I’m a big believer in having a plan B. Rich people don’t get rich thinking only about the money they can make, they invest on the idea of how much money can they afford to lose, and still stay relevant. Regardless, he is now the president, so why does it matter to what he thought while running for the Oval Office?

It would also be worth noting that Trump basically ran a conventional ‘old school’ campaign, whereas Hillary ran on anything but. It also is worth noting, that the Democrat’s were very wrong in their thinking, for them to think that a scandal plagued candidate, such as Hillary, would survive in today’s political world. Hillary may have also won except that her campaign manager wasn’t all that great in my opinion, Mook should have stuck with some old fashioned stumping, instead of his scientific methods he used to promote Hillary. Where Robbie Mook and company failed her, as well as Hillary failing herself was evident through out the long campaign season, as well. Why, I’m no political genius, yet I thought of how Hillary would be more of a ‘drag’ on the campaign trail than a motivating figure, and as it turned out I was right. I’m not always right, but I was on this situation and Hillary’s loss is proof of it.

Like the article states, why go after Trump over Russia, when there is no there there? My guess, is that going after Trump over Russian collusion is better, because going after Trump for other crimes would be more difficult since everyone in DC is guilty of something similar. Also, going after Trump for collusion with Russia, is a twofer for the Shadow Government Deep State.

Lastly, this is all a result of a dying empire, which was on it’s death bed long before Trump took office. It just may be possible that America finally does have it’s conceded bombastic head of state that America so rightfully deserves to have represent it’s most repulsive policies than one giant nation can enforce upon the U.S. nation and the world. And that’s the way it is, this January 10th 2017, and so goes the news… Joe

Jake G

January 11, 2018 at 10:35 am

You dont have to wonder. Thats how you expose lies. And they are lying all day long. That book is a huge lie as well.

John Neal Spangler

January 9, 2018 at 7:01 pm

Or the media could talk about the 4 times Trump’s military has attacked Syrian government forces, all without a Declaration of War. Or the fact the US is now openly cooperating with ISIS and AL-Qaeda in Syria, not trying to hide it. But the media would have to question the whole NWO agenda to do that. Besides Investigative reporters cost money. easier to have talking heads repeat liberal mantras over and over.

They would have to also admit at least on the Syria issue that what is happening now is really no different than the official policy of the previous Obama administration. At least with Trump he has officially stated that regime change is off the table and no longer a US foreign policy initiative. Problem is his administration is clearly not following through with the new policy direction and his illogical obsession with Iran.

Sorry, that was just a rant, best suited for talk radio. Flinging a bunch of “capitalists bad” catchphrases against a computer screen and hoping someone will agree with you. “ACTUAL JOURNALISM!” indeed.

Donald

January 9, 2018 at 8:03 pm

It wasn’t a rant. It was a piece pointing out some of the real issues that deserve much more attention from the press Your little comment was a mini rant since it mischaracterized the post and said nothing.

Annie

January 9, 2018 at 9:06 pm

I kind of agree with you on this one, but he did provide a lot of good links which were interesting.

Following good journalism practices as a way to get Trump, so it is not a change in the objective but in the approach. I would say that is not possible. The article was frenetic and a little sad to see on this website

JRo

January 10, 2018 at 4:40 pm

I don’t get what is “frenetic” or “sad” about the article; everything said is so very true. We are bombarded with nonsense news while really important long-term decisions are being made which will alter our American experience for a long time, and be difficult to untangle, should there ever be another chance. Yes, I also very much admire Robert Parry and wish him WELL and to get well. His logic and common sense are always a balm against the nonsense of our times. But, let us not degrade his legacy by condemning the quality of his creation at the first breath of change. The intent of this article was in keeping with truth, in my opinion.

Annie

January 9, 2018 at 8:39 pm

I’m surprised Mr. Sottile didn’t mention all the media coverage about Oprah Winfrey for president. She gives a speech at the Golden Globe awards and suddenly she’s a potential candidate for the presidency. Oprah’s longtime boyfriend Stedman responded to Sunday night’s Golden Globe push for an Oprah Winfrey 2020 presidential run that if called, the talk show host would serve. Her response when interviewed was “I thought, ‘Oh, gee, I don’t have the experience. I don’t know enough. Now, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, …’” which was another jab at Trump. They say she has no intention of running, and no doubt she doesn’t. Just another charade that draws you away from the issues that are not being discussed. We are a country enthralled by trivia and entertainment. Most Americans don’t want to focus on political issues. Boring! So we reap what we sow.

Those who talk endlessly about Trump in the media, and those I know who are so opposed to Trump say little about his agenda and had little to say of any substance about Obama when he was in the White House either. Trump however does provide them with an endless source of gossip which what it amounts to when the media talks politics.

Maxim

January 9, 2018 at 9:19 pm

I doubt very much the Deep State would allow Oprah to interfere with their plans for global domination and perpetual war. I can envision various scenarios, and none of them are pleasant.

David A Hart

January 10, 2018 at 12:40 pm

Oprah was all for the invasion of Iraq…she would fit right in with the Deep State plans for global domination. Then she would just make a fantastic speech, and buy everyone a new vehicle–she would be just what America wants.

Typingperson

January 18, 2018 at 2:01 am

Oprah would be a willing handmaiden to the corporatist oligharchs. She is one of them.

Maxim, I’m positive Hillary will not get another chance at the White House. The dems were toned deaf to their own base that they have ignored for years, and pretty much ignored during Clinton’s campaign. Obama, after all was said and done, said, no you can’t. Blacks did poorly under his administration because of his housing policies and they certainly suffered the most as a result of the housing market crash n 2008. I think all these politicians are held ransom to the Deep State, or the corporate world, and few have the integrity to fight back. I think our mindset of global hegemony is here to stay, and ultimately will crush us.

David A Hart

January 10, 2018 at 12:42 pm

She may fail to obtain the one thing she has always wanted, but it won’t be for lack of trying. I am sure that not a day goes by that she doesn’t plot HOW she can grasp that Brass Ring, and I am sure she will do everything in her power to give it one last shot. After all, she still believes it is her destiny.

john wilson

January 10, 2018 at 6:11 am

Maxim, I don’t really see your argument that the the deep state some how got Trump elected because the anti Russia nonsense would be augmented. Hillary was and still is completely anti Russian and she would have served the deeps state’s agenda perfectly. I think the deep state and their vassals in the MSM absolutely didn’t want Trump but ironically, by endlessly talking about him in the media they gave him publicity that better candidates could only dream of. They were all stunned and appalled when Trump actually made it and it was obvious for them that democracy just wasn’t working the way it was supposed to for them.

As a lifelong liberal Democrat, it bugs me a lot more that the Dems have been striving mightily to hoodwink the public to accept the neocon/zionist warmongering and the corporate agenda in recent years than that the GOPers have pretty much remained bastions of privilege and their sleazy corporate selves. The GOPers may remain on top for the time being, but they have been frantically playing defense since “their man” won the White House; moreover, they’ve been making all the wrong totally self-destructive plays. As nefarious as the GOPers may be, the Dems should not be rewarded by being given the keys to the kingdom in the next elections. They need to spend some time in the wilderness learning more than a few lessons. It would be especially catastrophic to put a liberal celebrity like Oprah in power. Surely that would take us to the threshold of a true idiocracy.

Annie

January 9, 2018 at 9:50 pm

Realist, hard to be a liberal Democrat when the party is no longer liberal, and hasn’t been for decades. I became an Independent when Sanders got sidelined by the likes of Hillary and the DNC. I didn’t vote for Obama the second time, and was leary of him when I saw the people he chose to help run his show when he was first elected. They are better then the republicans, but not by much. They need to go back to the days when they represented the working class and supported unions, which they no longer do, and no doubt accounts for their many losses. Thomas Frank’s book, “Listen Liberal” gives you very good insights into what the party has become. Also, The Real News, has a 9 part interview with him, although the book is better, but nonetheless well worth watching.

Another significant event miss has been the illegality and unConstitutionality of the Wall Street and White House Lawyer writen, Trump-pushed and Congressional Republican pushed through “Tax Reform/Tax Cut and “Jobs” act”, which, apart from not being a reform of anything, did not originate in the House of Representatives, as the Constitution requires, in which legislative body some members had still not even seen a copy of the legislation when it was pushed through with procedurally stopped or curtailed debate, and which was only “passed”, not legally passed to go into law because the bill’s bottom line exceeds an existing in law cap on revenue increase (which cap cannot be increased retroactively because the retroacting legislation would be ex post facto, also Constitutionally prohibited).

More than those “errors” and “flaws”, which amount to malfeasance, if not corruption, and effectively moot the enactment, rendering it null, the “Tax Reform/Tax Cut and “Jobs” act” produces a fiscal result that renders the taxes that will be collected insufficient to cover the existing ordinary costs the government is obliged to pay, while the bill reduces the taxes paid by the wealthiest, the “investor” classes, the classes who have surplus money to lend… This means the enactment removed tax obligations to put money into the hands of lenders while creating circumstances that will obligate non-extraordinary borrowing by the government on ‘behalf’ of the People and bligating the People to pay interest to lenders for money that, for the “Tax Reform/Tax Cut and “Jobs” act” will not be received interest free as taxes. This effectively gives lenders money to lend to the government at interest-rate profits, which profits tax-paying Americans will be obliged to pay. This is Corruption, with a capital ‘C’. It is effectively privatization of taxation, reducign taxes on investors to provide the investor classes opportunity to lend instead of pay tax, to collect interest from the payers of taxes.

The “law” of the “Tax Reform/Tax Cut and “Jobs” act” is dead law, unless the Constitution is displaced. Which, if it is, is evidence of Treason on the parts of all of those in government who paticipated in the conspiracy to push the treasonous act through.

The Congressional action passing the “Tax Reform/Tax Cut and “Jobs” act” has, if any seriousness attaches to oaths of office and the Constitutional definition of Treason, rendered the entire Republican component of the legislature (except maybe one) one, incompetent to hold office, and, two,subject to hanging for Treason.

And all the news media missed the story.

Sam F

January 10, 2018 at 7:53 pm

Hanging them would be a step forward, but the Constitution defines treason as making war upon the US, to avoid use of that charge against mere scoundrels and conspirators against civilization itself. We should define a new category of economic war against the US, including economic subversion of government and mass media, but would have to be careful about definitions to avoid misuse by political opponents.

Evangelista

January 10, 2018 at 9:07 pm

Article 3, Section 3, United States Constitution: “Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.”

With “war” defined to include “economic war” the “levying War” portion of the definition applies. Assuming the Constitutional United States to be already overthrown, the “war” to overthrow, conquer, usurp, to be finished, those in charge and engaged in perpetrating the overthrowing enemy-of-the-Constitutionally-Constituted-United-States transgressor state, whether active or behind the scenes, are “Enemies” per the Section. Those aiding, abetting and joined with those “Enemies” are engaged in Treason, and are also enemies with the Enemies they serve.

It is, in fact, the perpetrators, the knowing and intending and voluntarily perpetuating and facilitating who primarily need hanging (after fair trials per the law of the Constitution, to assure Constitutional continuity, and prevent ourselves becoming only alternates of what they are). These include the manipulators of the system for their own benefits, e.g., the Wall Street Bankers operating the Trump-President Puppet, the judiciaries of the higher courts, who have directed distortions of the Constitution’s directives, or perpetuated distortion, prosecutors who have adopted and adapted the distortions and the presidents and deans, and professors in Law Schools who are responsible for teaching lawyers and those inquiring that the distortions are permissible and that the false law created under their auspices and the auspices of their created false state, unConstitutional United States, and the unConstitutional and Commercial instead of Common Law (Presumption of Guilt instead of Presumption of Innocence) based false forms are ‘legal’ and applicable against “We the People”. Those who have been misled and mis-taught deserve access to correct information and correct teaching, then opportunities (if they qualify) to carry on forward as servants to “We the People”; assuming they are not guilty of willful and malicious abuses that constitute knowing and intentional acts of crime, as defined in Common Law and the Constitution.

There are really very few of any parties in the current United States’ Congress who are not legitimately chargeable with Treason for acts they have engaged in as members of the usurper-state legislature, and their education levels triggering responsibilities to have known, to have read and to have been able to understand. Those should be tried, too. The difference between them and the ones who voted for the Trump Administration cooked up fully and flatly illegal tax rebates for the rich bill is only that the votes for that example of traitorous grade malfeasance, being evidenced in Congressional Record, show those who voted for it clearly and undeniably guilty. Rope-Ready prime candidates for quick due process and exemplary, and nationally cathartic, final justice.

What this nation needs is not a chicken in every pot, it’s a politician hanging on every light-post. Once we have that, then pass the fried chicken and popcorn. We’ll have something to celebrate that will be a real accomplishment.

Sam F

January 10, 2018 at 9:54 pm

You are quite right about the corrupted Congress, Judiciary, and Executive branches. I too would celebrate if most politicians and the entire oligarchy were hung for the right reasons after fair trials. Will bring the fried chicken and popcorn. Substantial analysis of the relationship of self-serving economic policies to economic war would be necessary to support treason charges, to avoid setting up a general mechanism for political reprisals.

Yet I agree that the United States government has been deliberately overthrown by economic war, and this is certainly treason in its extreme form.

Perhaps we should just send them all to Club Fed Guantanamo to await trial for the rest of their lives, extradite the warmongers to the victim nation of their choice after restoring democracy there, and take all assets from the rich as security against overdue taxes.

Leaha

January 12, 2018 at 7:11 am

Seems to me that was point of this article. I don’t even bother w the “news”. It’s gotten repetitive to me. More alot of speculation /gossip. Personally, I would enjoy getting info. on the very subjects mentioned in this article. I have to search them out myself. It’s time-consuming, but I do it.

mike k

January 9, 2018 at 11:04 pm

The MSM is simply a tool of the oligarchy. Telling the truth is he farthest thing from their intention. They are a major means of the rich and powerful persuading and shaping the “lower” citizens to their will. The basic human rights of millions are constantly violated intentionally by a relative handful of “winners” in the great game of grab that human culture has devolved into. That the end is near for the human species, is the best possible news for millions of other wonderful species living here, who have not yet been made extinct by our loveless and vicious behavior.

Robert Parry is one among us who has devoted his life to truth, in spite of constant opposition. I respect his decision, and pray for his recovery to be speedy and thorough.

john wilson

January 10, 2018 at 6:19 am

Mike, you are deluded if you think the event of the demise of the human species will leave all other animals to enjoy the earth we leave behind. We humans are basically mad buggars and when we destroy ourselves we will surely poison and destroy the entire earth as well. The notion of charming deer and other animals trotting through the country side unfettered by the ravages of mankind are a complete fantasy. You must be smoking some seriously strong stuff !! LOL

mike k

January 10, 2018 at 9:49 am

Hi John. It’s been over forty years since I stopped smoking tobacco and weed every waking hour for years on end. However I still get high in many ways, including fantasies about a better world for all. As far as the Disney Dreamworld version of nature, I don’t buy that one. But neither do I buy the solely “red in tooth and claw” version either. It’s a mix, and a challenging one for all involved. Life arising in a Universe filled with deadly energies has never been without dangers and difficulties. Whether the whole affair of the manifested realm that we are aware of is really worth all the sweat and pain is an interesting philosophical and spiritual meditation to go into. William James said it in his long essay Is Life Worth Living? Life long sufferer of bouts of severe depression, James was of two minds about his question. For me, the answer is yes and no. To be or not to be? Does the Universe really have a choice? Do we? How could we change at least our small corner of this vast affair to make our answer more clearly positive – for all of us? In a way this is what this site is about – and that’s why I am sharing on it………..

Nancy

January 10, 2018 at 12:53 pm

Yes, mike–humans possess the ability to make the world a better place for all life on this planet but also the ability to destroy it. Such a paradox. Sometimes I believe in the biblical stories of good and evil/original sin. Humans took from the tree of knowledge and the most powerful have used it for their own selfish, greedy purposes. I don’t know if this could ever be different, or it’s just “human nature.”

Sam F

January 10, 2018 at 8:10 pm

We certainly have the power to be civilized, but this society is fully corrupted by money, both in government and its primary means of social education, which is the mass media. Fortunately, democracy is a forest of individuals with characteristic diseases, but it is substantially ravaged by the disease of economic power. Until the institutions of democracy are protected from economic power, the US is not part of civilization.

The people now lack the courage and desire for justice of their forebears who established the nation. Technology has made revolution nearly impossible, and oligarchy media have eviscerated the courage and decency of the population.

The selfish oligarchy will likely not start a nuclear war. The US is more likely to collapse in its own greed, selfishness, hypocrisy, and malice in a few generations, and humanity will celebrate. But it will stumble along for centuries having learned nothing from history, unable to make a democracy under modern surveillance technology, unable to protect democratic institutions from money power.

The question is whether there are democracies in this Western forest that are able to resist the disease of unregulated money power, and predominate when the US and its diseased allies fall to earth, or whether the future of democracy lies in the liberalization of governments with communist or socialist origins.

LJ

January 10, 2018 at 10:38 pm

Beer, lager, wine or in a pinch IPA works to temporarily ease the pain As for Medicinal Marijuana , Now as Before, Grow your own. Of course life is worth living. Death is either nothingness or it might suck. If I have to sit around in Heaven with Mike Pense, playing a harp well I’d rather listen to ACDC and be On the Highway to Hell. Of course Jobim’s Wave night be preferable but who knows who the DJ is down there? Peace Mike K. See you in the next world “And don’t be Late”- Jimi Hendrix

mrtmbrnmn

January 10, 2018 at 12:17 am

If past is prologue I expect the next POTUS will be either Siri or Alexa, After that, the “country” formerly known as the United States of America will cease to exist as a serious global entity.

Zachary Smith

January 10, 2018 at 2:15 am

In my opinion Obama poisoned the well for another Black President for a great many years. He had every chance to be one of the Great Ones, and threw it all away with his embrace of Big Everything.

Oprah may or may not be a fine person – I’ll admit that about the only things I know about her are that she is 1) famous, 2) black, 3) a woman, and 4) a billionaire.

“Famous” is ok if you’re running for a major office, but IMO the other three translate into a Trump Win In 2020 if she runs. So will she or somebody very much like her be eased into the role of 2020 Democratic candidate? I suspect that’s exactly what will happen. Oprah, or some other unacceptable/unqualified person as candidate will mean Trump Wins. “As Bad As Or Worse” than Trump means people like me stay home. Just as they did in 2016.

Mr. Sottile’s essay is highly relevant in my making that prediction. As he correctly notes, the Corporate Media is pushing trivia, and not substance. That’s because the Powers That Be like what Trump has been doing. They like it a LOT! If I’ve got a good job with that Corporate Media, I’m going to write/say exactly what my bosses want me to write and say. Since I want to keep that nice job, I’ll be a good boy and behave.

The upshot is that you’d not only be doing real damage to Trump’s presidency … but you’d also be doing ACTUAL JOURNALISM!

So I applaud Mr. Sottile’s fine rant, but remind him that Imitating Journalism is a lot safer than actually doing it, for the talking heads and page scribblers want to keep their jobs a lot more than they want to “do” them.

Back in 2008 we had essentially no choice at all. Obama was “elevated” by the media, and his opposition was the Geezer and the Airhead. Come 2012 a Vulture Capitalist/Mormon Bishop and sleazy Liberarian Nutball were Obama’s opposition. The “fix” was on in both cases for Obama. I suspect the same thing is going to happen in 2020 – the Democrats show every sign of “folding”.

john wilson

January 10, 2018 at 6:30 am

Zachary, No one could be less qualified to be president than Trump, but he won just the same. Like you, I know nothing much about Oprah, but as you say, she’s famous and has pots of money. I suggest she is also well liked and especially so by women. I would say she is equally as well qualified as Trump to be president. You are also forgetting the elephant in the room which is that Trump has four more years and he may well smash up all the china in that time. I think she would trounce Hillary in the primaries just by putting her name (Oprah) on the ballot.

Tannenhouser

January 10, 2018 at 10:58 am

The idea that trump is not qualified is exactly the kind of thing the author is talking about, you do realize this right? Adherence to Chicken little self reinforcing negative emotional meme’s make one look ridiculous. The ONLY qualification needed to run or become POTUS is citizenship. PERIOD. I don’t support trump in any way shape or form, I agree with the author 100%.

The simple FACT that the media is doing this, just proves they aren’t against him. From billions in free advertising to national enquire style reporting on nothing burgers 24/7 should be proof enough.

zendeviant

January 11, 2018 at 5:05 am

I think you need to be at least 35 years old. And not just a citizen but a “natural born citizen.” No felony convictions…

But, it’s been a while since I looked at the rules…decided it wasn’t a job for me.

Since we’re on the subject, it would be good to check all the paperwork BEFORE the election (vet the birth certificate, etc).

This site begins to feel like an endangered species reserve…the last remaining rational, moral american humans gather to find solace with each other, while outside the storm rages: “IT’S THE ELECTROLYTES!”

Leaha

January 12, 2018 at 7:18 am

He makes their ratings higher

Zachary Smith

January 11, 2018 at 4:36 pm

Your reference to ‘smashing china’ is a good one. Consider a Destructive Democrat who appears to be running in 2020.

The Case Against Joe Biden

He’s been a strong Wall Street ally

He voted to gut welfare

He wrote the original ‘94 crime bill and has defended it ever since

He’s a proponent of the War on Drugs

He voted for the Iraq War

He voted and likely laid the groundwork for the USA PATRIOT Act

He voted for the 2006 border fence

He’s unreliable (at best) on Net Neutrality

He voted for NAFTA and supported the TPP

He allowed Anita Hill to be silenced and shamed

It’s a long piece, and I’ve listed only the topic headers. Oprah is a big question mark, but I’ll submit that Biden is an actual evil who matches up well with Trump except for being a lot slicker in his public image. I could not possibly vote for Biden, and would be forced to sit out 2020. In my opinion Trump would win again.

The MSM’ job is to shape the publics perception of reality, so the criminal elite will never be held accountble, precisely the opposite of what the author suggests it should be doing; herein lies the conundrum.

backwardsevolution

January 10, 2018 at 6:06 am

turk 151 – perfect description! They divert attention away from the criminal elite. They protect and make excuses for the criminal elite’s behavior. The MSM is an arm of the criminal elite. It’s a club, and they’re in it.

Just heard yesterday that MSM negative coverage of Trump has been running at 95%. For Obama, it was 20%. That’s a big difference. Trump must still be twisting and giving the criminal elite (of which he is NOT a member) some grief, otherwise they would not continue chopping his head off on a daily basis. If Trump was obeying and complying with them, he’d be down at Obama’s numbers, but he’s not, so the witch-hunt continues.

Trump is actually trying to do what the people who voted for him wanted: control immigration, bring jobs back home, give the middle-class a break. He failed with health care, but I predict he will revisit it at a later date.

Obama stepped up to the mike and in his calm and folksy manner told the people that they just had to take action in a particular country because the United States simply must step in to protect human rights, even though he knew full well that the neocons who were giving him orders could care less about human rights, that all they wanted was to steal the about-to-be-pummeled-country’s resources or install a puppet government. In other words, Obama (or Bush or Clinton) would just lie. He knew the country would be leveled, but he made it sound like it was a “necessary” leveling, almost done out of benevolence.

Trump, on the other hand, is loud and crass. He just says, “You’re about to be leveled.” In other words, he’s telling the ugly truth. And the crowd squirms as the truth about their country is revealed.

Maybe that’s a good thing? Shame and disgust have a way of changing things. Trump is holding up a giant mirror.

Typingperson

January 18, 2018 at 2:34 am

Yep. Obama was a smooth liar.

Trump is an uncouth blurter of the same crap.

From the corporate war state controlling USA.And MSM –and voters.

It’s an unmasking.

???

John A

January 10, 2018 at 5:45 am

At least in the US you are spared the idiocy of the royal family fawning MSM in England. Right now, the biggest worry is the wedding of the spare to an American model/actress/whatever who apparently is mixed race though she looks white, and whether they can invite Obama without inviting Trump! Plus, there’s a worry that the mega wedding in Windsor Castle – one of the queen’s many piles around the country, and the worldwide broadcasts, LOL, will be marred by the site of homeless people on the streets around the ramparts of the castle. Strong and stable (sic) Teresa May, is considering having the homeless bussed far enough away to be out of site of the world’s eyes come that magic day.
Yes, that’s pretty much topic A for the media here, never mind the madness of brexit, Trump’s tweeting and further foment in the middle east.

mike k

January 10, 2018 at 9:58 am

Ah! The Royal Wedding. Something for the empty headed public to gawk at, gossip about, and ooooh and ahhhh over……….

Realist

January 10, 2018 at 3:12 pm

Since he’s already shattering all the accepted social icons of British royalty re Ms. Markle, Harry should just go full monty and elope with the lady in one of Las Vegas’s famous “chapels of love.”

Now that would be entertainment… and go a long way in keeping Britain’s “special relationship” with America going strong, as both sides vie to keep the masses amused by the antics of their “leaders.”

The corporate media stooges don’t report on the real scandals to which you refer because they don’t care, or worse, they approve of what’s being done. That is the only explanation that makes any sense. Remember when Caligula Drumpf illegally attacked Syria and Brian Williams came in his pants at “the beautiful, beautiful bombs”?

The media pretend to hate Drumpf, but truth be told, they love his fool ass. He brings them ratings, and those in turn bring their bosses revenue. And really, after over twenty years of media consolidation ushered in by Bill Clinton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_Act_of_1996), do you really expect corporate media to report on the shady dealings by corporate goons infesting the halls of power like cockroaches? It’s all a dog and pony show. The McResistance is that and nothing more: bread and circuses minus the bread, and ticket prices are through the roof.

mike k

January 10, 2018 at 11:35 am

Great comment Michael. I like your style. But we must remember the MSM are not just in it for the big bucks from their advertiser clients, they are totally owned and managed by the deep state oligarchs, who have a much bigger, greedier agenda than just fake news profits. The MSM are the point of the speared aimed directly up the rear of John Q. Public, to ensure their complicity in the rich dudes goal of total world domination. Their job is more about brainwashing the public than simply making bread from entertaining us with fake news.

mike k

January 10, 2018 at 11:27 am

For those who know little of Oprah, she is a sort of mentee of Maya Angelou, famous poet. Oprah has serious spiritual aspirations, and I respect her for that. Whatever she would bring to the table in replacing Trump as prez is guaranteed to be way better than the mess he has served up.

Realist

January 10, 2018 at 2:51 pm

Will we all be given a new car when she asks us to look under our seats?

As we’ve learned from Trump (and the preceding several presidents), the president does not govern alone, does not establish national policy, and, in fact, may be a marginal character in piloting the Deep State which has usurped that job. I shudder to think if she does attempt to impose Hollywood’s agenda. Please, just re-name Washington “Circus Maximus, DC,” if the celebrities get to take over.

Joe Tedesky

January 10, 2018 at 11:55 am

I say build a huge fence around the DC Beltway, and ‘lock them all up’. Lock everyone of these swamp critters up, right now.

It has been too many years for me to remember when I last watched a TV news program. My motto was that I would rather be uninformed than misinformed. Thankfully, the internet provides sites such as Consortium News that deliver real news and honest, thoughtful analysis. So now I can truthfully say that I am not uninformed but well informed.

Best wishes to Robert Parry for a good recovery, and thanks to those contributors who are keeping the flame alive at CN. And I agree completely with the message of this article. While the house is burning down, the MSM are hypnotizing viewers with a goddam candle.

LJ

January 10, 2018 at 2:40 pm

A Presidential Order to increase WiFI and High Speed Internet access to rural areas was overdue. And yesterday INS actually went into Chinese Birthing Hotels in Southern California. This action is 10 years overdue, this problem was clear in the G W Bush Administration years. Obama did nothing WHATSOEVER about it. . These are two clear victories for His Donaldness. There are 2 narratives going on, One has Trump’s Impeachment as Imminent. This is highly doubtful. The other embraces the hot economy. So too, yesterday I read an article by Pepe Escobar of all people writing in Asia Times On Line that a cooling down of the BS with North Korea is a possibility, This is on the heals of other articles singling out NSA McMaster as the lone voice in the White House advocating a Bloody Nose approach with North Korea. What I’m saying is maybe Feinstein did something stupid yesterday. Oh, that would be a first? Trump has done a couple good things here. Maybe all the golf is working. Remember Nancy Reagan getting Jean Dixon to make a schedule for Reagan based on his horoscope. Yes, this did happen and it was official policy since that is how Reagan was allowed to behave during the remainder of his Presidency. ( I assume he was pre-Alzheimer at this stage and didn’t know the difference anyway) . Well, our country went along well enough with him in a semi-marginalized capacity. Now politics ,Can you remember the first thing GW Bush did when he got into office was to pass an Act to benefit the Handicapped. He had seen his father blunder with the Manuel Luhan appointment and decided that he would not come out of the gate in a confrontational manner. Bill Clinton had done nothing for the handicapped in 8 years. His wife and he felt your pain, not handicapped people. Bush immediately got the support of Senator’s Harkin and Kennedy and millions of handicapped people. Then he passed the No Child Left Behind with the aforementioned collaborators ( With all it’s warts it was a Bipartisan F up)—- Lest We Forget. Obama well, he kept Gates and Secretary of Defense and implemented the Paulson Bank Bailout, so much for Change> Change> Change. Trump now has thrown the rich a bone with the tax cut, the farmers with internet, the construction business with a super-heated economy, the golf courses with his recreational proclivities, go ahead and build a wall, kick out those damn non Americans while we can still tell the difference for your base then I want something , call me. I know you have my number…

cmp

January 10, 2018 at 3:02 pm

~ “…rock-hard profit producer…”~
… Graphically, has this not been the title of the article for a very long time?
(..smile..)

All my life in the US, it was always about package, and never the content.
… And, the partisan presidential prejudice, has always been about the personality, and never about the policy.

Paraphrasing Boss Tweed: “As long as I get to choose the candidate, I could care less who they vote for.”
…
Personally, I have always had erectile dysfunction for the selected “..hooker..” of the capitalist elite’s.

So:
In 2016, I voted for Jill.
In 2012, I voted for Rocky.
In 2008, I voted for Ralph.
In 2004, I voted for Ralph.
In 2000, I voted for Ralph.
In 1996, I voted for Ralph.
In 1992, I voted for Ross.
.. You get the idea..

For our City Traffic Court, you & I, we get to vote for a candidate – that we have never heard of.
(..and, even with this candidate, they have to take the bribe money, if they want the “..Parties..(Elites)..” support..)
…
Meanwhile, the Court dockets are booked up each & every day, with cases of Corporate Personhood.
But for these cases, the Judge is selected, and the have not’s, they don’t even get the privilege to vote for the “..hooker..”
…
Justice???
Kind of says it all.
.. Doesn’t it.

Gregory Ghica

January 10, 2018 at 3:12 pm

You are right about media waisting time with Trump’s tweets, but you are wrong on attacking Trump on all occasion. Just get over it and accept and what Trump did right after one year in office. Have some balance in your bloviating.

Prof. Gregory Ghica

Gregory Herr

January 10, 2018 at 6:51 pm

I give. Just give me the short list. The inaugural address doesn’t count.

Oh! I got one! He called CNN fake news!

Horrus

January 10, 2018 at 3:27 pm

Hear! Hear! The problem is, of course, the corporate media is no longer in the journalism business at all. They’re in the infotainment business. What’s entertaining about news and all that Walter Cronkite style, fuddy duddy issue stuff right?

Its color is white but it is red with blood
The residents’ name should really be mud
Instead they get fancy honors and titles
Wars for them is a musical recital

The hum of their drones flying through the air
Are killing children without due care
This is hellishly called “collateral damage”
These are the words of the resident savage

Immaculately dressed in a business suit
An eloquent speaker is this callous brute
Surrounded by sycophants and flunkeys too
Evil is what these people plan and do

War and more war is their hellish aim
Are they all devils and bloody insane?
Countries are reduced to smoking rubble
These well-dressed maniacs are big trouble

People are fleeing and dying too
From the hell produced by this satanic crew
Refugees are drowning in deadly waters
Trying to escape the endless slaughters

These helpless victims once had homes
Now they have nothing, and just roam
Helpless, homeless people on the move
With nothing really left to improve

The perpetrators call their crimes “bringing democracy”
Surely creating hell on earth is really hypocrisy
But when criminals rule there is no justice
And law and order is totally corrupted

The war criminals slogan is “responsibility to protect”
They tell that to the people whose countries they wrecked
Those still alive can hear the bombs explode and thud
A hellish “courtesy” from the House of Blood

See no mention of its misconduct in foreign affairs, like claiming that the earthquake it made in North Korea with a laser satellite in September was ultimately a hydrogen bomb test equivalent to three Hiroshima atomic bombs and killing 200 North Koreans, an attempt to assassinate Kim Jong-Un, kicking off an attempt to overthrow the mullahs In Iran which resulted in two dozen deaths and 1,00 protesters arrested, and using a laser satellite to set afire a hidden tanker filled with Iranian for North Korea oil to get back at China for doing similar collisions to US Navy ships.

One of your great poems of our times Stephen. I wish the sleeping populace would read your revelations of our awful state, and feel the horror that you and I and others reading your writings feel about our world. To feel this pain and nightmare is a necessary prelude to working to change it.

Well JP (if that is your real name) you make a big mistake in the premise of your point, i.e., that the news shows care about removing Trump over all else. They do not.

If they go back to “complex=hard to follow for the elderly and therefore dull for them” news reporting, they fear their ratings will tank. THE REALITY IS THEY WANT TRUMP TO STAY FOREVER WHILE TELLING YOU THEY WANT HIM REMOVED. That is their game.

They want Trump to stay put. Their ratings have risen substantially since Trump TV has taken over–so why in the world would they all of a sudden turn to real substance stories when their audience is mostly old people who tune in to see the DRAMA of Trump TV? Why do you think the commercials that run on news TV are mostly pitching drugs or things old people use more than anyone else? They have done their research on their demographics, and the demographics do not lie – TV news mostly caters to people who do not find their news online, i.e. the elderly. The ratings before Trump TV were nowhere near where they are after Trump TV started. Much higher ratings means much higher ad rates means much more money WHICH IS THEIR PURPOSE AFTER ALL–not serving the political interests of their stars. It makes them much more money to put on “The Heroes Saving America From The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” then they would make if Trump was no longer their raison d’être.

In the next episode learn how the Democrats want Trump to stay so they can also play the hero while the GOP continues to take on the stink of Trump which they believe will aid them in the long run to get re-elected because:

“TRUMP! EMERGENCY! TRUMP! EMERGENCY!

YOU NEED (insert name of your local elected officials) TO WIN THE ELECTION TO FIGHT AGAINST THE EVIL CRAZY KGB PLANT IN TEH WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

TRUMP! EMERGENCY! TRUMP! EMERGENCY!”

Delia Ruhe

January 10, 2018 at 8:45 pm

This is not the first time it has occurred to me that no one in Washington really wants to evacuate Trump from the White House. You can only scratch your head so many times asking why the Dems chose to spin a propaganda narrative about treason, rather than raise to the level of legitimate scandal all of the issues that could easily get Trump impeached and turfed.

Personally, I think Russiagate will remain at its most useful to Democrats as long as Mueller doesn’t come up with anything that’ll pass as evidence for it. They reckon there are enough voters who already believe it, and if that’s enough for the Dems to win back the Senate and even up the score in the House, then they need Russiagate to keep on lasting until the next presidential election – providing they can come up with an opponent who can pass as credible, of course. (Eliz. Warren would be crazy to run, as she would probably win, and who wants to be president of a country on the skids and a clown factory in Washington? Probably not Eliz. Warren.)

godenich

January 10, 2018 at 11:05 pm

“They are not talking about Trump pushing DIPLOMATS to get even more involved in selling weapons around the world.”

… and the taxpayer is subsidizing the arms manufacturers[1] like we can afford to do that[2].

[1] Trump To Embassies: Sell American Weapons! | Youtube | 1/10/2018
[2] We Have Reached The Tipping Point, The Current Economic Structure Cannot Be Sustained | Youtube | 1/10/2018 (audio is a little choppy at points)

Emma

January 11, 2018 at 2:38 am

Mike are you kidding me? She sold out a long time ago to the deep state. She is a pawn in the NWO and a good one. They have carefully groomed her image over the last 20 to 30 yrs to look as though she is just perfect and oh so giving. BUT just look at how her TV show changed starting around the time of the lawsuit regarding the Beef Industry. She had to hire Dr. Phil and slowly that guy got his own show. And he seems to have morphed over the years into a Jerry Springer type. Next came the notorious backroom thief Suzi Orman. Just enter her name on YouTube and you will find videos of her when she worked in a bakery and was trying to become a financial guru. That woman should be in jail for all of the lies that she has stated not to mention the Prepaid Credit Card program of fraud that she was able to sell to Oprah’s TV audience. Just Google that one. Sad thing is she doesn’t have a degree in anything let alone a financial degree and yet she is allowed to parade around giving advise to the public with Oprah’s blessing. And lets not forget Dr. Oz… he and his cronies are making millions in contracts with Healthcare companies selling his health programs (Blue State) and videos (not to mention his wife’s videos) also he attracts large audiences of overweight, vulnerable older women (who he desperately wants to help, yeah right) to his seminars, takes all of their personal health histories, (to study or exploit) and then shames the worst of them on national TV. Oprah’s show may have given away thousands and thousands of prizes but she never paid for them. SPONSORS paid for them to up their public images. One example was when we went to war in Iraq under GWB, she was giving expecting army wives nursery gifts. Who paid for that? One guess… the army/the tax payer! Or how about all of the people who had trouble paying their credit cards? It appeared that Oprah paid their bills but really it was funds from the Angel Network (donations made by us) that paid off those cards. In my opinion there is a Trust image that she portrays but hasn’t earned. I strongly urge voters to VET the people who run for public office.

mike k

January 11, 2018 at 9:11 am

Emma, thanks for sharing. What I wrote was “Whatever she would bring to the table in replacing Trump as prez is guaranteed to be way better than the mess he has served up.” Do you seriously think that Trump would be better than Oprah as prez? I would like to hear you explicate that position. In my opinion, any random homeless person on the street would be better as the US President than the dangerous Mr. Trump. I challenge anyone to prove to me that ANYONE could be worse than Donald Nero Caligula Trump – and certainly not the ditzy but relatively harmless Oprah. I have’nt heard her threatening nuclear destruction on anyone or declaring global warming to be a hoax, for example.

mike k

January 11, 2018 at 9:51 am

I find it hard to believe that Oprah would risk her enviable success to run for president. But in the Alice in Wonderland dreamscape that American politics has become, who knows? But calls for off with her head seem nevertheless very premature.

Typingperson

January 18, 2018 at 3:07 am

I suspect Oprah is on CIA payroll. Mockingbird!

This is such a terrible country. Runs on lies to the people, cheap credit, marketing. Infotainment, financialization of economy–hedge funds and private equity at 15 % tax–plus illegal wars and arms sales–our biggest export.

What with the destruction of manufacturing from NAFTA under Clinton in 90s.

25 years ago.

backwardsevolution

January 11, 2018 at 10:04 am

From Paul Craig Roberts:

“Insouciant trusting gullible Americans who “believe in our government” have no comprehension how totally corrupt “their” government is. It is the most corrupt in the world. The corruption in Washington is really unbelievable. You have to experience it to know it, and those who experience it are part of it and will not tell.

The orchestration “Russiagate” proves that the CIA, the NSA, and the FBI are so corrupt and unaccountable that they comprise the greatest threat to the American people in the entire history of America. The only solution is to break these agencies into a thousand splinters, as President John F. Kennedy intended, and rebuild them from scratch with total transparency. No more protecting their vast crimes under the cloak of “national security.” No classification of any so-called intelligence unless it can pass a unanimous vote of Congress and the ACLU.

The orchestration of Russiagate is proof that the alleged “national security agencies” are an anti-American force detrimental to our survival as a free people. The criminals in the FBI, CIA, and DNC must be investigated, indicted, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned or freedom in America is forever dead.

If President Trump fails in this task, he will have failed America. Everyone of us will be the victims.

One question with which we are left is why has the mainstream media failed in its investigating and reporting responsibilities and instead served as a cheerleader for the orchestration known as Russiagate? The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, and the rest are serving as public relations agents for Russiagate, leaving it to Rep. Jim Jordan to ask the questions that the media should be asking. What explains the convergence of media and FBI/CIA interests? Are hidden subsidies involved? As the mainstream media is behaving as it would be if it were owned and controlled by the security agencies, this is a natural question. Why is the media not disturbed by its close relationship to the FBI and CIA? When did it become the function of the media to help the CIA and FBI control explanations?”

When did this unholy alliance of the media, government, military, and corporate wealth combine to constitute the Deep State? It began with the establishment of the United States of America, and we are living in it’s fully evolved clutches today. There has never been a time in our US history that the high ideals that were used to pacify the masses were actually what moved the levers of power. You know that better than I do PCR.

ranney

January 11, 2018 at 4:01 pm

Spot on JP!! Thanks for the beautifully written list of idiocy we’re subjected to daily (no, hourly) by the MSM. I’d like to think that Rachel and Chris Hayes would read this and feel ashamed – especially Rachel (i.e. DR. Rachel Maddow who has a PHD in History and politics). She knows she’s lying and she does it anyway cackling all the way to the bank.

david clifton

January 11, 2018 at 11:22 pm

There is plenty more damaging information on Trump than his sensational tweets. His over-the-top, politically incorrect statements keep opposition journalists frothing at the mouth, rather than investigating his questionable business dealings over the years.

Either Trump is a public relations genius, or the mainstream media are under orders to stay away from substantive issues.

Amanda

January 11, 2018 at 11:45 pm

This is a rather disappointing article to see on Consortium News. I have had the highest regard for this publication since I started reading it. This rambling piece is of much lower quality than what I find here usually. Why does Monsanto inspire groans, can you tell us? What did you mean by “bigwig” and what role did Azar play is this scandal that you barely describe? I hope Robert Parry gets better soon.

Tsigantes

January 12, 2018 at 3:50 pm

The MSM is not criticising these things because they see nothing wrong with it. They are angry that ‘their’ party is not cashing in on the same splendid opportunities.

rosemerry

January 12, 2018 at 5:03 pm

I have read many of the comments and agree about Robert Parry and wish him a full and swift recovery. We all need him.
As for the article, I fully agree. None of the Russiagate story holds water, thousands of terrible decision in the last year will affect Americans and the rest of us as Trump continues. Let u try to stem the tide of real damage.

Donald Trump is obviously not presidential in any way and his team is just like Adolf Hitler’s team, only in business for themselves.
It has always been said that Hitler’s elite were not even “Aryan” that he wanted the German race to be. They were simply his flunkies. They were fat, not blonde and only in it for the “fame and fortune” so to speak, just like Trump’s team.

Of course, Trump is not planning to have his cronies commit genocide but it seems there is talk about interment camps to house “immigrants” waiting to be deported, Familiar? OMG!

His “tweets” and “actions” suggest that he cares for no one, not even apparently for his children and grandchildren for if he did he would not behave the way he is behaving nor would he make the decisions that his is making with regard to people and the environment.

Is he mentally ill/demented? Wasn’t it determined too late that Hitler was and look what happened!
Please, let the people speak. They were not able to speak during WWII, are we in that same place now?

The world is looking(laughing) at us and actually feeling sorry for us. I have spoken with friends and family from around the world. They too are in disbelief that he remains for now the President of the United States of America!

I am so sad that we are in this place now.

John

January 13, 2018 at 3:23 pm

Oooooooooooooooh! Somebodies not a President Trump fan are they?

Janet Contursi

January 14, 2018 at 1:24 pm

And the reason they are not talking about all those items you listed is because those “deals” benefit the deep state and corporate world — so Trump and the state are in sync to keep them behind the curtain.

NicoleMule'

January 15, 2018 at 5:31 pm

I often thought someone would come to think that America, with its lofty ideals and immigrant hopefuls trying to make their dreams happen, could be milked like a cash cow. The mean spirited would finally position themselves in to a place of power and take from us until there was no milk left and the docile cow would fall to its knees, immobilized. If you’ve ever heard a steer or an old cow being led to the slaughter house as it figures out too late what is really happening then you know firsthand the mooing, and braying sounds of agony. It starts with one lone cow and too late spreads to the majority of the group of cattle until any power they collectively had to turn it around has disappeared . I apologise for my rural analogy but I am old enough to remember when ranches stock yards in the west unabashedly carried out the practice in full view of travelers on the highway. The same

Uranus Hertz

January 16, 2018 at 3:23 am

Good points … except … you completely failed to point out the conservative media’s same lackluster performance as well.

Mild-ly - Facetious

January 16, 2018 at 11:12 am

I’ve been a long time fan of Robert Parry. We are contemporaries, he born on 1949, and me, born in 1945 — we were on the same page, vis-a-vis U S politics. That said, I’ve been away from these pages in recent weeks and am deeply saddened to find Mr. Parry in ill health. More than that, I’m hopeful this thought provoking space doesn’t disappear.

I’ve not been on the same page with Mr. Parry on the Russia-Gate saga but I’ve always agreed with and championed his journalism. I’ve tended to stay away from challenging his staunch denial of Mr.Trump’s wrong doing. It would be, to me, very sad to lose his voice at this distressing time in US history.

To all who hold long time, deep affinity with Robert Parry — a prayer from the heart can do much / go far toward keeping him and his keen mind with us for years to come.

God bless Robert Parry. If You will, keep him in our midst and touch his infirmity, please.

Typingperson

January 18, 2018 at 3:35 am

Hear hear! And may God bless him and heal him.

proudfootx

January 16, 2018 at 6:33 pm

The corporate media ignoring the real story is comparable to the corporate Democrats losing elections they could easily win if they stood up for the 99% – they get paid – very well paid – even though they fail.

You could almost imagine how actually succeeding might hurt their income…

Typingperson

January 18, 2018 at 3:42 am

Ding ding! You’ve nailed it, sir. The Dems could easily have won the presidency with a decent candidate pledging to represent the actual people. Instead they chose Hillary.

Have her backers lost money from that? Or power? Neera Tandin et al? Those corrupt, sold-out careerists in DC who schemed for her? Does not seem so at all. To the contrary….?

REQUIRED READING! Share it far & wide (esp. to Trump-supporting relatives who prattle on about the so-called “liberal” media. The GOP-Trump WRECKING CREW (& their Democratic Party enablers) are “getting done” LOTS of things—NONE of them good for 90% of us or the planet